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Greeley County Health Services would like to announce the hiring of a new Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Burke Kline. Kline’s first day was Monday, December 5th. Kline will function as the CEO of Greeley County Health Services while being an employee of Quorum Health Resources. GCHS has partnered with QHR since 2010 to provide the CEO leadership and other management oversight. Kline and his family are in the midst of relocating to Tribune and are eager to join the community.
“We are looking forward to becoming an intricate and active part of the community. I hope to help Greeley County be the best that it can be,” Kline said.

Greeley County Health Services welcomes new practitioner in the health coach role

Greeley County Health Services is pleased to welcome their newest practitioner, Kieran Phelan, Physician Assistant, to the health care team. Kieran joins Greeley County Health Services in the newest clinician role as the Health Coach. Kieran graduated from Wichita State University with her Physician Assistant degree in May of 2016. She received her Bachelors of Science and Life Science and Gerontology from Kansas State University.

“I am excited to work in the Health Coach role and help in finding an efficient way to keep track of patients with chronic health problems and help them navigate the healthcare system in a rural area where there are less specialties available,” Kieran said.

The Health Coach is a new role that was made possible by a new grant received from Health Resources Services Administration for the Small Health Care Provider Quality Improvement Grant. This three year grant is designed to redesign the office visit for chronic medical conditions and to improve health outcomes with improved communication, patient resources and education. The Health Coach position is integral to the grant and improvement effort.

“We are so pleased to begin this project with Kieran. She is going to be a great asset to our work because of her compassion for patient care, training in primary care medicine, and experience in small, rural communities,” says Chrysanne Grund, GCHS Project Director. “We believe we can bring improved resources to our patients through this program.”

Centers for Disease Control urges vaccination and awareness to prevent recent measles outbreak from spreading
February 11, 2015

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently reported 84 cases of measles since Jan. 1 in 14 states, most of which are part of a large outbreak linked to a California amusement park. Measles was declared eliminated (absence of continuous disease transmission for greater than 12 months) from the United States in 2000. This was possible thanks to a highly effective vaccination program and better measles control in the Americas region. However, with the recent outbreak throughout the U.S., the CDC recommends that health care providers consider measles as a diagnosis in anyone with a fever, rash and other compatible symptoms who recently traveled abroad or had contact with someone with similar illness.

Patients with suspected measles should be isolated and suspected cases immediately reported to the local health department, according to a recent CDC advisory. Providers also should ensure that patients are up to date on the Measles-Mumps-Rubella vaccine, the agency said. Most of this year’s cases involve children or adults who were not vaccinated or were not sure of their vaccination status. The U.S. last year reported 644 measles cases in 27 states, the most since endemic measles cases were eliminated in 2000. Many of the 2014 cases were linked to travelers to the Philippines, where a large outbreak was occurring.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. It spreads through the air through coughing and sneezing. Measles starts with a fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and sore throat, and is followed by a rash that spreads all over the body. About three out of 10 people who get measles will develop one or more complications including pneumonia, ear infections, or diarrhea. Complications are more common in adults and young children.

For more information, or if you notice similar symptoms, please contact the Greeley County Family Practice Clinic at 620-376-4251 or the Wallace County Family Practice Clinic at 785-852-4230. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has photos and information about measles at http://www.cdc.gov/measles/about.html

Greeley County Health Services has announced the installation of a new technological program that will help patients access their own personal health information via technology from the privacy of their own home. The InteliChart Patient Portal allows patients to create a username and login so that they can view their health records on an electronic device such as a tablet, a computer, or a smart phone.

The InteliChart Patient Portal technology streamlines the communication process between patients and their providers. Patients will be able to login to their patient portal and access information such as viewing their medication list and instructions and viewing the results from their latest laboratory test.

The Patient Portal is not a substitute for seeing a physician in an office visit setting, but is merely a more convenient way for patients to access their own health information. The Patient Portal is also an easier way for them to stay current with their healthcare provider. For instance, if insurance or other information has changed, patients can simply login to their portal and verify their information.

Other features of the InteliChart PHR include accessing current medication lists, verifying demographic or insurance information, viewing medical summaries, and leaving notes and other communications for the healthcare staff. Additionally, patients can receive alerts such as new medications and appointment reminders as text messages or emails, as they prefer.

“Hopefully the new patient portal technology will allow patients to become more involved in their personal health care by making it more convenient to access their information and communicate through the technology they are already using in their daily lives,” Drew Zerr, Clinic Manager, said.

Helping patients to understand and use this new technology is a goal that GCHS has set and is already working to achieve. Several patients have already been trained in how to utilize their own patient portals from home.

“We want patients to know that we are here to help make their lives easier and to help them fit a better quality of health care into their busy lives. We feel that helping patients use the Patient Portal technology will do just that,” Katy Reynolds, HR and Marketing Director, said.

If you would like to learn more about the Patient Portal technology and how to create your own account to access your health information, please contact the Greeley County Family Practice Clinic by calling 620-376-4251 or by emailing clinicmgr@mygchs.com.

GCHS provides ambulatory care in both Greeley and Wallace counties. Three providers, four mid-levels, and an excellent nursing and administration staff ensure that you and your family will receive exceptional care.

Attached to the Hospital and Clinic complex, our 32-bed long term care facility gives residents immediate access to the staff and services at GCHS. The recently remodeled building boasts wonderful accommodations in a comfortable layout.

Greeley County Health Services is committed to the growth and stability of the communities that we serve. As the largest employer in Greeley County we take our obligations seriously. Providing unsurpassed patient care is at the top of our list, but we also strive to contribute to a healthy environment for our staff and neighbors.

Greeley County Health Services is pleased to be a National Health Service Corps Location.

We care for all patients regardless of their ability to pay. If you have difficulties in making payment, please ask about our sliding fee scale and patient assistance resources.

Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA)

A CHNA is a disciplined approach to collecting, analyzing and using data to identify barriers and gaps to health and well-being of its residents. The CHNA identifies the problems, leads to the development of targeted action plans and suggests placement of resources where they are most needed and effective.

Greeley County Health Services has partnered with community organizations to complete this assessment in both Greeley and Wallace Counties.

Testimonials

We would like to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone at Greeley County Health Services who cared for us during our recent visit. Literally, every single provider, nurse, and staff member demonstrated kindness, gentleness, and compassion while providing courteous and professional care. Our community is indeed fortunate to have such an extraordinary healthcare system. We cannot say “Thank you” enough to each and every one of you.

Shavon and Esther Lehman

From the moment I stepped in the door, everything was just amazing to me. The staff was so kind and welcoming from the first minute.

Dwight Gooch

My family wanted to say Thank You to all of the hospital staff and EMTs that helped us after we rolled our pickup… Everyone was very kind and made us feel very comfortable after our accident. Thank you for everything that you do!

Alicia AldridgeThank You

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone at Greeley County Health Services and to this great community that supports their work. What a relief to learn that the surgery I recently required could be performed right here at our wonderful facility. I received excellent care from a professional and caring staff without having to travel hundreds of miles. In my experience, the providers, nurses and staff at Greeley County Health Services are the best that can be found anywhere. Th…